Currently, Wireless Wide Area Network (WWAN) interface cards use sleeping modes for power saving. The mobile device must send a sleep request message to a base station and obtain approval through a sleep response message from the base station. The sleep request/response messages contain the power saving class type and the sleeping period. However, due to the exchange of messages, there is a high latency of multiple frames time associated with the entry and exit from the sleep mode. As a result, in order to enter into a sleep or idle mode, the mobile device must have a non-active workload until the device can resume the active mode.
However, it is difficult to optimize power consumption of a Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access (WiMAX) device. First, a WiMAX network operator must support a sleep mode operation and different power saving classes. Second, because a message requesting sleep must be sent along with a response to enter a sleep mode, the sleep may only be used between major activities and not between packet bursts because of the latency and overhead associate with sleep entry. Quality of service requirements for latency sensitive (e.g. voice over internet protocol (VoIP)) traffic do not allow the WiMAX device to enter into a sleep or idle mode due to the latency and overhead associated with entering the modes. Also, when a WiMAX device enters a sleep mode, the device does not have information as to when to wake up and how long it should sleep so as to not affect ongoing communication performance. Consequently, there exists a substantial need for efficient techniques for power saving in a WiMAX device.